Results 19,781-19,800 of 27,945 for speaker:Michael McGrath

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Yield (11 Mar 2015)

Michael McGrath: 60. To ask the Minister for Finance the cost of reducing the 11% universal social charge rate for the self-employed to 8%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10647/15]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Insurance Coverage (11 Mar 2015)

Michael McGrath: 61. To ask the Minister for Finance the position regarding his proposal to provide a State-backed insurance scheme for first-time house purchasers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10649/15]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Public Private Partnerships Data (11 Mar 2015)

Michael McGrath: 65. To ask the Minister for Finance in respect of the total general Government contingent liabilities and non-performing loans in European Union member states in 2013, as reported by EUROSTAT on 10 February 2015, if he will provide a breakdown for Ireland of the outstanding liabilities related to off-balance public-private partnerships liabilities of Government controlled entities classified...

Written Answers — Department of Health: General Medical Services Scheme Payments (11 Mar 2015)

Michael McGrath: 99. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide in tabular form the current capitation fees paid to general practitioners in respect of medical card holders under the general medical services scheme by category of medical card holder; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10648/15]

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (11 Mar 2015)

Michael McGrath: The professor is very welcome and I thank him for his time. He makes a pretty clear conclusion at the end of his opening remarks that the Irish Parliament performed poorly during the period in question and he outlined the reasons. He talked a lot about parliamentary reform and the need to strengthen the committee system. Even within the constraints of the existing Oireachtas system and the...

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (11 Mar 2015)

Michael McGrath: The professor spoke about reforming and strengthening Oireachtas committees and giving them resources. Does he believe there is an optimum number of members on an Oireachtas or a parliamentary committee?

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (11 Mar 2015)

Michael McGrath: If I pointed out that the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, for example, has 27 members, what would be the professor's reaction to that?

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (11 Mar 2015)

Michael McGrath: Does the professor think having such a large number of members impacts on the ability of the committee do its work effectively?

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (11 Mar 2015)

Michael McGrath: I suppose I should have said "on a committee" and not necessarily that committee. Does having a membership of that number, in general, have an impact on the ability of a committee to do its work?

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (11 Mar 2015)

Michael McGrath: Yes. I would argue it is too big.

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (11 Mar 2015)

Michael McGrath: That is correct. Looking back over the Oireachtas debates, which is part of the terms of reference of this inquiry into banking and regulation, if I said to the professor that the Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of Ireland Act 2003, which was very significant legislation setting up the new Central Bank structure and separating the Central Bank from the Financial Regulator, was...

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (11 Mar 2015)

Michael McGrath: In light of the professor's comments on Government control, and not talking about any particular Government but in general, of Parliament and of the committee system and given that we are sitting as part of a very important parliamentary committee, has he any observations to make on the fact the Government, in respect of this committee, ensured it had a majority of the membership, despite the...

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (11 Mar 2015)

Michael McGrath: Professor Hardiman is very welcome. I thank her for her time. Could she clarify a reference in page 31 of the paper she wrote in 2012 with Professor Clarke? It states: "Career mobility between the boards of the Central Bank and the commercial banks was not uncommon, and indeed directors of both AIB and Bank of Ireland held simultaneous appointments on the board of the Central Bank". Could...

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (11 Mar 2015)

Michael McGrath: Is Professor Hardiman saying there were individuals serving on the board of a commercial bank at the same time as serving on the board of the Central Bank?

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (11 Mar 2015)

Michael McGrath: Is it not established as a fact on the public record?

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (11 Mar 2015)

Michael McGrath: Could the professor characterise the corporate governance arrangements that would have applied within the Irish banks during the 2000s, or from 2002 or 2003 onwards? What are her thoughts and observations on the corporate governance arrangements that applied at board level in terms of important sub-committees, such as credit committees and risk and compliance committees?

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (11 Mar 2015)

Michael McGrath: To clarify, Professor Hardiman did not look specifically at the governance arrangements within individual financial institutions?

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (11 Mar 2015)

Michael McGrath: Professor Hardiman made reference in her opening remarks to the comparison between the Irish and Canadian banking sectors. She spoke about the role of the regulator in Canada and highlighted one particular difference in terms of the in camerasessions. The regulatory environment is one aspect, and a very important one, but in terms of how the banks were run and the arrangements internally,...

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (11 Mar 2015)

Michael McGrath: On page 31 of the 2012 paper she wrote with Professor Blanaid Clarke on the crisis in the Irish banking system, Professor Hardiman makes the point that from the establishment of the Office of the Financial Regulator in 2003 to October 2008, not a single Irish bank was fined as a result of an inspection. She makes a contrast in this regard with the situation in the UK. What does the...

Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Context Phase (11 Mar 2015)

Michael McGrath: On page 18 of the 2012 paper, there is reference to an initiative by the Central Bank in 2005 to introduce a corporate governance code for credit institutions and insurance undertakings. The bank engaged in pre-consultation in 2005 and 2006, but decided to delay the code until early 2007. The point is made in the paper that this delay was unfortunate as the introduction of the code, even at...